Sony Pictures TVCome TV with Jeopardy!Tournaments to Stream on Hulu
From the Wrap

After 35 years in syndication, "Jeopardy!" made its streaming debut today on Hulu with the release of 60 episodes of the popular game show.

In a deal between Hulu and Sony Pictures Television, the subscription streaming service now hosts episodes from Seasons 29, 30 and 31, along with special episodes such as a "Tournament of Champions," "College Championship," "Battle of the Decades" and "Kids Week." The episodes feature fan-favorite contestants including Brad Rutter and long-running champion Ken Jennings.

Hulu will continuously add new episodes to its roster, so viewers won't run out of trivia fodder as they binge the show.

More on "The Masked Singer"Nick Cannon to Host for Fox
From Reality TV World

Fox has ordered a singing competition series titled "The Masked Singer" that features disguised music stars performing onstage.

The series, hosted by Nick Cannon, is based on a hit show format from South Korea.

The program will task a celebrity panel -- featuring Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy, Nicole Scherzinger and Robin Thicke -- to guess which music star is behind every elaborate costume that covers them from head to toe. A singer will be eliminated each week before they take off their costume to reveal their true identity.

Singer Cheryl, Glee alum Matthew Morrison and Strictly Come Dancing pro Oti Mabuse were named the dance captains for the U.K. competition series The Greatest Dancer on Friday.

"This is such a powerful moment for me," Morrison said in a statement. "It's wonderful to continue bringing music and dance into peoples' lives like we did on Glee. Dance is a safe haven that allows us to communicate where words cannot. It's an expression of love and empowerment, driven by all the emotions that make us human. I love being exposed to people who are pursuing art, and expression, and I look forward to being a moving force for good on their journey. As a dance captain, my sincere hope is that I can uplift and encourage all the dancers here reach their greatness."

Alesha Dixon and Jordan Banjo are set to co-host the show, which is slated to premiere in 2019.

CBSCBS Daytime Returns September 17Price Is Right Bows Season 47, Let's Make a Deal Season 10
From PopCulture

CBS announced the premiere dates for its daytime TV line-up, including The Talk, The Price Is Right and the soap operas The Young and The Restless and The Bold and The Beautiful.

Drew Carey is returning to host The Price Is Right on Monday, Sept. 17 at 11 a.m. ET. The longest-running game show in TV history will enter its 47th season. The most-watched daytime show averaged 4.73 million viewers last season.

Wayne Brady will be back for the 10th season of Let's Make A Deal, which averages 3.04 million viewers. The game show fun resumes on Monday, Sept. 17. Check local listings for times.

"CBS Daytime continues to deliver award-winning, fan favorite programming that has led the industry for more than 31 years. The lineup offers an unmatched blend of heart and humor in our talk and game shows and stunning storytelling in our daytime dramas, connecting our audience with compelling programming throughout the year," Angelica McDaniel, Executive Vice President, Daytime Programs and Syndicated Program Development, CBS Entertainment and CBS Television Distribution, said in a statement.

First Rule of Bite Club...Catch It on Food Network September 6
From the Futon Critic

This fall, Tyler Florence hits some of the country's top food cities and pits local chefs against each other in a fierce fight to become their hometown champ in the new competition series Bite Club. In each location, five chefs arrive prepared to cook in an unknown kitchen, and are greeted with a game of chance that results in two chefs becoming the competition's judges. The three remaining chefs then go head-to-head in two rounds of intense secret ingredient cooking battles, where their peers ultimately decide who becomes the city's Bite Club champ. The six-episode series premieres Thursday, September 6th at 9pm ET/PT with Chicago, followed by episodes in Savannah, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Charleston and Nashville.

"When five of the hottest chefs in the same city go up against each other, the energy is explosive - they are colleagues and rivals, friends and competitors," said Courtney White, General Manager and Executive Vice President, Food Network and HGTV. "Tyler is the perfect host to oversee the top-notch culinary action and rivalry in each town."

Fox Goes LiveFNGenius to Play During Teen Choice Awards
From Android Police

Quiz app HQ Trivia became immensely popular in a short space of time, capitalizing on users' fondness for being challenged as well as their thirst for winning (often tiny amounts of) cash. The app's success hasn't gone unnoticed by the Fox Broadcasting Company, which is about to debut a competitor called FNGenius: Live Game Show.

Taking the genre to the next level, FOX TV's FNGenius will be broadcast live on the channel during the 2018 Teen Choice Awards on August 12. So even if you're not playing along with the app, you can still watch it just like any regular TV game show.

Apart from that, the premise seems much the same as HQ Trivia, with a pot of cash ready to be shared between those who get a certain number of questions right.

One of the screenshots alludes to a prize fund of $25,000, but that may just be a placeholder and not representative of what we can expect.

While HQ Trivia took a while to figure out how it wanted to monetize its app, FOX's route appears clear from the outset. The "Powered By Twix" message at the bottom of some screens means we'll be getting in-game advertising from the start, and there will surely be commercial breaks either side to line up with the live TV show.

Details on the Play Store listing are scant, other than stating that the first FNGenius game will take place during the 2018 Teen Choice Awards, which runs from 8-10pm on August 12. Presumably, you'll be given some warning during the ceremony so those who've not yet downloaded the app can get involved.

Ant Taking a Break"Sagturday Night Takeaway" Host to Go On Leave Until at Least 2020
From Deadline

British entertainment hit Saturday Night Takeaway will not return to screens until 2020 after host Ant McPartlin revealed that he is taking the rest of the year to deal with personal issues.

McPartlin will also step aside from hosting I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here this November, which means that co-host Declan Donnelly will present the jungle format without his presenting partner.

This comes after McPartlin was involved in a DUI and went to rehab earlier this year. Both shows are produced by ITV Studios, the commercial broadcaster's own in-house production arm, and are two of the network's biggest hits.

Both shows have been remade in the U.S., I'm A Celebrity was remade for NBC, while Neil Patrick Harris presented Best Time Ever, a remake of Saturday Night Takeaway, for the same network.

"Ant McPartlin today announces he will continue to take a break from all television presenting roles until 2019. Ant will not present I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! in November this year," the duo said. "In addition Ant and Dec have made the joint decision not to present a new series of Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway in Spring 2019."

"Production and filming for a Saturday Night Takeaway series in February would normally have already started, and continue throughout 2018 and early 2019. Neither Ant & Dec nor ITV wanted to compromise the quality of the show and therefore felt it was better to rest the series next year. They will instead bring the show back in 2020, bigger and better than ever.".

ABCWEEKEND: Game Night Lives!Sunday Fun & Games Block Renewed.. and Here's Why
From The Futon Critic

ABC has announced green lights for its "Sunday Fun & Games" programming block: "Celebrity Family Feud" for its fifth season, and "The $100,000 Pyramid" and "To Tell the Truth" for their fourth seasons. ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey made the announcement today at the network's Television Critics Association press tour. The programming block has fueled many ratings victories for the network, which has ranked as the No. 1 broadcaster on each week the block has aired this summer among Adults 18-49.

CBS has secured the U.S. format rights for the smash U.K. and international reality series "Love Island" from ITV Studios and Motion Content Group, with the new series to be produced by ITV Entertainment, it was announced today by Sharon Vuong, Senior Vice President, Alternative Programming for the Network. The season four finale aired last week to a record overnight audience, ranking as the most-watched program ever on the U.K.'s ITV2 network, with almost half of all adult viewers under 34 tuning in throughout the series.

"'Love Island' has been a massive success overseas," said Vuong. "It's currently seen, or about to premiere in several European countries as well as Australia, and we're thrilled that ITV has partnered with us to bring their most successful show to American television. Having seen the reaction of audiences 'across the pond' and around the world to this most recent season, we expect American viewers will be captivated by this engaging format. Additionally, 'Love Island' is more than a pop sensation; this series has generated compelling 'sociological think pieces' in major publications here and abroad."

"As a format, 'Love Island' breaks the mold with high levels of viewer interactivity and participation that influence the content of the show in a way that's extremely addictive," said David George, CEO, ITV America. "It's a cultural phenomenon that builds anticipation with every episode and creates appointment viewing - a pretty hard thing to do in today's TV landscape. We're ecstatic the show has found a home at CBS and look forward to working collaboratively to engage its millions of viewers."

"Love Island" sees a group of single "Islanders" come together in a stunning villa in a beautiful tropical location. They are on the lookout for romance, but as always, the road to love never runs smoothly, as they must not only choose their partner wisely, but also win the hearts of the public. Challenges and dramatic twists abound as the Islanders form alliances, while relationships are made in an effort to win the ultimate prize. Viewers have the opportunity to shape events on screen as they watch the relationships develop, and ultimately crown one lucky couple as the winners who walk away with a cash prize.

"Love Island" is produced by ITV Entertainment, an ITV America company. Executive producers are David George, Adam Sher and David Eilenberg. The series is based on a format owned by ITV Studios and Motion Content Group, represented by Richard Foster and Chet Fenster, and distributed by ITV Studios Global Entertainment.

British broadcaster ITV is bringing back Play Your Cards Right, the classic gameshow that was originally adapted from U.S. format Card Sharks.

The show, which was famously hosted by Bruce Forsyth, who died in August 2017, is being piloted with The Friday Night Project and Chatty Man star Alan Carr hosting the non-TX ep. This comes after Carr's golden handcuffs deal with rival Channel 4 ended earlier this year.

Play Your Cards Right, which started in 1980 and ran for 248 episodes across a number of iterations, follows two couples as they played a series of games. The host would begin with questions based on surveys of 100 people. The first couple would guess how many of the 100 answered the question a certain way and the other couple would have to guess whether the answer was higher or lower. Then the teams were handed a series of five cards and they had to guess whether the next card was higher or lower.

It was based on Card Sharks, which was created by Chester Feldman for Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions. The U.S. version ran on NBC from 1978 to 1981 with a revival on CBS in the late 80s. The rebooted pilot is thought to be produced by Talkback, which is part of FremantleMedia. ITV previously attempted to reboot the series five years ago, with Vernon Kay.

The news was first reported by British tabloid The Sun. It marks the latest attempt to bring back a classic gameshow in the UK. Last year, it emerged that FremantleMedia was looking to bring back Dale Winton's Supermarket Sweep and darts format Bullseye is also understood to be undergoing a revamp. .

And finally, the season finale of "The 100" (0.940 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.3, #10) and a new "The Outpost" (0.630 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.2, #11) rounded out the night on The CW (0.785 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5).

Justin Timberlake Spins the Wheel for FoxDax Shepard To Host
From Variety

Fox has given a series order to "Spin the Wheel," a new game show from executive producer Justin Timberlake. Dax Shepard will host the series, which will feature contestants competing for large cash prizes in a game built around a massive, unpredictable wheel.

The show is created by Timberlake and Andrew Glassman, who serve alongside Rick Yorn and Johnny Wright as executive producers. It is described as pitting contestants against a colossal, spinning 40-foot wheel that holds incredible sums of cash prizes in its rotation. Throughout the game, players will answer trivia questions – each correct answer adds more extreme amounts of cash in the wheel's wedges in a strategic location of their choice, while each incorrect answer adds more dangerous wedges that could instantly bring their total back to zero.

Seth Rogen to Revive "Gladiators"Actor Shopping Reboot with Original Producer
From PopCulture

A reboot of the classic sports game show American Gladiators is currently in the works, with actor Seth Rogen executive producing.

According to Deadline, the reboot is currently being shopped to networks by MGM. In addition to Rogen, his producing partner Evan Goldberg — as well as original American Gladiators creator/producer John Ferraro — will also be producing.

The original series ran for nearly seven years, from 1989 until 1996. It was briefly revived in 2008 with sports icons Hulk Hogan and Laila Ali assuming hosting duties.

Walk a Mile in LeBron's ShoesCBS Orders "Million Dollar Mile"
From TV Line

CBS has ordered 10 episodes of the competition series Million Dollar Mile, which counts NBA player LeBron James among its executive producers.

According to the official logline, Million Dollar Mile is a "high-stakes competition series that challenges everyday athletes' physical and mental toughness like never before with an opportunity to change their lives forever."

In each episode, the streets of a major city will be shut down to make way for the Million Dollar Mile course. Contestants will have the chance to win $1,000,000 every time they run "the most challenging course ever designed" — but a group of elite athletes will be trying to stop the contestants from winning the money at all costs.

James and his business partner Maverick Carter — who have previously worked on the Starz sitcom Survivor's Remorse, among other projects — will serve as executive producers alongside longtime Big Brother EPs Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan.

"LeBron represents the epitome of strength, vision and determination — all skills one will need to complete this one-of-a-kind course where every runner has a chance to win $1,000,000," said Sharon Vuong, senior vice president of alternative programming at CBS Entertainment. "Couple that with Allison and Rich's unrivaled skill for storytelling and game, and we feel like we have a championship-caliber team.".

And Then There's Rob LoweActor to Host "Mental Samurai" for Fox
From UPI

The West Wing, Parks and Recreation and Code Black alum Rob Lowe is returning to television for the 2018-19 season.

"Producing and hosting a really cool new competition series, "Mental Samurai." If you like American Ninja Warrior AND mental challenges, you will love it! @FOXTV," Lowe tweeted Thursday.

Contestants will be challenged to answer questions and solve problems as they are transported around the set in a specially designed, speeding capsule capable of rotating 360 degrees, a press release said.

What the winner goes home with has not been announced yet.

"Rob Lowe is the real deal. We're incredibly lucky to have someone so committed to quality, and who brings an unparalleled zeal to each of his projects," said Mike Darnell, president of Warner Bros.' unscripted and alternative television division, which is producing the project. "He's the perfect partner for this new series that is a literal thrill ride for your brain.".

And finally, week two of "Burden of Truth" (0.830 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #14) and the series finale of "The Originals" (0.873 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #13) rounded out the night on The CW (0.851 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5).

Chris Hardwick is holding onto another one of his many TV hosting gigs: He'll return as host of the NBC game show The Wall when it returns for Season 3, the network confirms.

Hardwick came under fire last month after accusations of emotional and sexual abuse from his ex-girlfriend Chloe Dykstra first came to light. After an investigation of the claims, though, AMC announced last week that Hardwick would return as host of the popular Walking Dead after-show Talking Dead, as well as Talking With Chris Hardwick. "We take these matters very seriously," AMC said in a statement, "and given the information available to us after a very careful review, including interviews with numerous individuals, we believe returning Chris to work is the appropriate step."

Debuting in December 2016, The Wall features contestants dropping balls down a massive, Plinko-like wall in hopes of winning a huge cash prize. Hardwick serves as the host, as well as an executive producer. When the allegations against Hardwick first surfaced, NBC announced they would "assess the situation and take appropriate action based on the outcome." Production on the 20-episode Season 3 is set to begin this fall.

Hardwick will appear on NBC even sooner, actually: He's set to serve as a guest judge on an episode of America's Got Talent airing next Tuesday, Aug. 7.

Discovery Family Bakes Like BuddyNew Competition Premieres September 8
From the Futon Critic

Buddy Valastro is back, and he's bringing his family along for a brand-new competition series featuring America's best baking families in Discovery Family's BAKE IT LIKE BUDDY, premiering Saturday, September 8 at 9/8c with two back-to-back episodes. New half-hour episodes of the series will stream live on Discovery Family GO and will also be available on demand the following day.

Each week on BAKE IT LIKE BUDDY, two extremely talented, passionate and creative baking family duos face-off against each other in a fun head-to-head bake off at Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey. The contestants, spanning from professionals to emerging chefs to passionate weekend bakers, will have every fiber of their baking abilities tested as Buddy sets a unique challenge in each episode. With help from his own family and Carlo's Bakery staff, Buddy and two members of his team mentor and judge the visiting family's delicious creations on design, flavor, technique, finish and how well the contestants followed a central theme -- ranging from unicorns, sci-fi, 3D, Halloween and much more! The two teams have only four hours to design, bake, and decorate a cake for the chance to win a $1,000 cash prize, professional baking supplies and most importantly, bragging rights!

Throughout the competition, Buddy and his family members inspire and help the bakers take their skills to the next level with tips, real-time feedback and design assistance. This season, teams from across the country including mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, cousins, sisters, twins, best friends and more will compete to have their cake and eat it too in an emotionally charged, all you can eat cake battle where family is just as important as the ingredients.

BAKE IT LIKE BUDDY is produced for Discovery Family Channel by Cakehouse Media. Art Edwards and Buddy Valastro are the executive producers for Cakehouse Media. Michela Giorelli is the executive producer for Discovery Family Channel. The Futon Critic

posted 8/1/18

TUESDAY: NBC Made ItAGT, Making It Help Network to First
From the Futon Critic

And finally, the penultimate "The 100" (0.895 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) and a new "The Outpost" (0.639 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #15) rounded out the night on The CW (0.767 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5).

More on "Shark Tank" Season 10Entrepreneur to Play Shark Next Season
From the Futon Critic

"Shark Tank," the critically acclaimed and multi-Emmy(R) Award-winning entrepreneurial-themed reality show, today announced the addition of three brand-new guest Sharks including Charles Barkley, Matt Higgins and, for the first time, former "Shark Tank" entrepreneur-turned-Shark, Jamie Siminoff. After his debut in the tank in 2013, Siminoff went on to sell his invention, Ring, to Amazon for over a billion dollars. The show, produced by MGM Television and Sony Pictures Television, which has become a culturally defining series, returns for its 10th season, SUNDAY, OCT. 7 at 10 p.m. EDT, before moving to its regular timeslot the following SUNDAY, OCT. 14 at 9 p.m. EDT. It has been "A Decade of Dreams" for "Shark Tank," and this year will be no different. The 10th season will also bring back powerhouse fan favorites, including Sarah Blakely, Bethenny Frankel, Rohan Oza and Alex Rodriguez. The guest Sharks, who are icons and trailblazers in their respective business fields, will appear individually alongside Sharks Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John and Kevin O'Leary in various episodes during the 2018-2019 season.

The new guest Sharks are (alphabetically) as follows:
· Charles Barkley - Named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, Charles Barkley has followed up his Hall of Fame basketball career with an Emmy Award-winning television career. Barkley added "investor" to his already impressive resume, having committed to investing $1 million into female entrepreneurs in 2018.
· Matt Higgins - Matt Higgins is a proven operator, investor and business builder with a knack for helping founders at pivotal growth moments achieve breakout success. He serves as CEO of RSE Ventures, a private firm that incubates and invests in companies across sports and entertainment, food and lifestyle, media and marketing, and technology. Higgins co-founded RSE with Miami Dolphins owner, Stephen M. Ross, the most prominent private developer in the U.S. and a serial entrepreneur. Together Higgins and Ross have helped build enterprises from scratch, including the largest privately owned soccer tournament in the world (International Champions Cup) and leading brand strategy and communications agency Derris.
· Jamie Siminoff - A lifelong inventor and successful entrepreneur, Jamie Siminoff created the world's first Wi-Fi video doorbell while working in his garage in 2011. He pitched his doorbell, then called DoorBot as a "Shark Tank" entrepreneur in 2013, turned down the only offer he received from Shark Kevin O'Leary and left without a deal. He has since transformed his invention into what's now known as Ring, a security powerhouse that offers several DIY home security products and services, including the popular Ring Video Doorbell that's capable of preventing and solving neighborhood crime. Under his direction, Ring has seen incredible success and growth. In 2018, Amazon purchased Ring, the company's second-largest acquisition. With the support of Amazon, Ring and Siminoff continue to innovate and remain at the bleeding edge of home security. The Futon CriticInformNNY

Her fiance, John Michael Keyser, said that she was being treated for chronic inflammatory bowel disease and her heart gave out, according to NorthJersey.com. Additional details about her death have not been released.

Vogel was a contestant on season 12 of Fox's Gordon Ramsay-hosted reality cooking competition.

Out of 20 contestants, she was the ninth chef eliminated. She also appeared on the Food Network's Cutthroat Kitchen.

A self-proclaimed Jersey girl, Vogel attended culinary school at Johnson & Wales in Denver. She began her chef career at the New Jersey-based restaurant Kevin's Thyme in Ho-Ho-Kus. She also worked for chef Christine Nunn as a pastry chef at Grange in Westwood and then went on to Picnic on the Square. She went on to serve as executive chef of Black Rebel Burger in Hackensack.

She is survived by her mother Donna Bruchmann, her father Mark Vogel and her sister Caitlin Johnstone.

Legendary producer Howard Felsher, whose legacy featured both timeless classic and unfortunate controversy, died July 23. He was 90 years old.

His credits include "Tic Tac Dough", "Password", "He Said, She Said", "Concentration", and most notably, "Family Feud", where he famously was known to clash with host Richard Dawson. During the run, Felsher was promoted to executive producer, which would allow him to pass the production duties to Cathy Hughart Dawson (Dawson's then-daughter-in-law).

Felsher noted in a special for E!, "He (Dawson) became an egomaniac. He became somebody who could do no wrong. And he let Goodson know that, too. You know, 'It's my show, I'm the boss! I know what's going on and I can make the decisions. 'And that's why Goodson wound up hating him."

On the series finale in 1985, Dawson publicly apologized to Felsher in his final address to the audience.

Before that, he was known as "a game show doctor", having a knack for fixing a format or production that wasn't working for one reason or another. He perhaps took it a step too far in his role in fixing "Tic Tac Dough", an episode that came to a head during the game show scandals of the 1950s. Estimating that three-quarters of the episodes that aired on NBC were rigged, Felsher was fired as a result.

"Howard had a lightening quick mind and an intuitive gift for reading people, as well as a track record for contributing to the repair of troubled game formats that eventually made it to air," posts legendary announcer Randy West on his Facebook. "He was a firm believer that the contestants were the stars, and the gameplay the most important element of any program. His insight into the genre brought Howard to Barry-Enright Productions prior to becoming a long-serving member on the Goodson-Todman team."

Felsher's interests also spanned outside of game shows. He ran for Congress and authored a book, "The Press in the Jury Box" before retiring from the industry in 1995.

"He loved family gatherings with his son, Andy, daughter-in-law, Sharon and his five precious grandchildren, Justin, Janae, Julianne, Cameron and Olivia," posts his LA Times obituary. "He was predeceased by his first wife, Elaine (Tex) in June 2009 and his brother, Joel in May 2013."

In lieu of flowers contributions in memory of Howard Felsher would be gratefully accepted at UCLA Stein Eye Institute, 100 Stein Plaza, Suite 1-124, For the Research of Dr. Joseph Caprioli, #41571. Los Angeles, CA 90095

Sony Pictures TV
Alex Trebek Calling It in 2020?"Jeopardy!" Host Featured in "Objectified", Suggests Hosts
From the Hollywood Reporter

Alex Trebek may currently be the long-running host of Jeopardy!, but he already has a replacement in mind should his retirement come: sportscaster Alex Faust.

During a sit down with TMZ's Harvey Levin for the latest episode of OBJECTified on Sunday night, Trebek says his chances of leaving the show are more than "50/50" once his contract expires in 2020. When asked who would be an ideal replacement, Trebek said that Faust, who is an LA Kings hockey announcer, should take over.

"I mentioned to our producer, not so long ago, that the fellow who does play-by-play for the Los Angeles Kings — they should consider him," the 78-year-old host coyly said. Though Faust, who is just 28, may seem like a newcomer to some, the sportscaster was chosen to replace Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Miller after 44 seasons to do play-by-play for the Kings.

Despite Faust being an ideal candidate to replace him, Trebek revealed that he's also open to the idea of a female replacement, in particular CNN legal analyst Laura Coates.

"There is an attorney, Laura Coates," Trebek told Levin. "She's African-American and she appears on some of the cable news shows from time to time."

Though Trebek has a couple more years left in his contract to helm the game show, the host was forced to take a brief break last winter, in between his filming schedule, to recuperate from brain surgery related to a fall he suffered months earlier. The game show host returned to the series in January. "

Next up was FOX (2.271 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #3) with a new "So You Think You Can Dance" (2.597 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5) and a repeat "9-1-1" (1.946 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T8).

WEEKEND: Cab SharksCatch the New Season on Discovery Tonight!
From Channel Guide

If you've ever been in a New York City cab, you'd be shocked to know how difficult the actual test is to get your license. It's no easy task. Just talk to comedian Ben Bailey, the Emmy-winning host of Discovery Channel's popular Cash Cab, who not only shuttles unsuspecting riders to their destination but also hosts a game show inside his cab while doing it. Cash Cab returns with new episodes on Fridays at 7pmET, beginning with a special shark themed episode on Friday, July 27.

"While I was taking [the exam], I was thinking of all the cab drivers I've had over the years and wondering how they possibly were able to pass the test," Bailey admits. "You have to know the city really, really well to pass that test."

Legendary producer Howard Felsher, whose legacy featured both timeless classic and unfortunate controversy, died July 23. He was 90 years old.

His credits include "Tic Tac Dough", "Password", "He Said, She Said", "Concentration", and most notably, "Family Feud", where he famously was known to clash with host Richard Dawson. During the run, Felsher was promoted to executive producer, which would allow him to pass the production duties to Cathy Hughart Dawson (Dawson's then-daughter-in-law).

Felsher noted in a special for E!, "He (Dawson) became an egomaniac. He became somebody who could do no wrong. And he let Goodson know that, too. You know, 'It's my show, I'm the boss! I know what's going on and I can make the decisions. 'And that's why Goodson wound up hating him."

On the series finale in 1985, Dawson publicly apologized to Felsher in his final address to the audience.

Before that, he was known as "a game show doctor", having a knack for fixing a format or production that wasn't working for one reason or another. He perhaps took it a step too far in his role in fixing "Tic Tac Dough", an episode that came to a head during the game show scandals of the 1950s. Estimating that three-quarters of the episodes that aired on NBC were rigged, Felsher was fired as a result.

"Howard had a lightening quick mind and an intuitive gift for reading people, as well as a track record for contributing to the repair of troubled game formats that eventually made it to air," posts legendary announcer Randy West on his Facebook. "He was a firm believer that the contestants were the stars, and the gameplay the most important element of any program. His insight into the genre brought Howard to Barry-Enright Productions prior to becoming a long-serving member on the Goodson-Todman team."

Felsher's interests also spanned outside of game shows. He ran for Congress and authored a book, "The Press in the Jury Box" before retiring from the industry in 1995.

"He loved family gatherings with his son, Andy, daughter-in-law, Sharon and his five precious grandchildren, Justin, Janae, Julianne, Cameron and Olivia," posts his LA Times obituary. "He was predeceased by his first wife, Elaine (Tex) in June 2009 and his brother, Joel in May 2013."

In lieu of flowers contributions in memory of Howard Felsher would be gratefully accepted at UCLA Stein Eye Institute, 100 Stein Plaza, Suite 1-124, For the Research of Dr. Joseph Caprioli, #41571. Los Angeles, CA 90095

"Nailed It" Coming Home for the Holidays7 Holiday Episodes Coming to Netflix
From Refinery29

Usually you have to wait until winter to find out whether or not you've been good enough to deserve holiday presents. This year, however, we found out early, and apparently, we've been really good. Today, Netflix announced that Nailed It! will return for a seven-episode special this December. We're not sure what we did to deserve so much of this hilarious baking competition show full of seriously epic fails in a single year, but we'll gladly accept the gift.

According to Netflix's announcement, Nailed It! Holiday is similar to the past two seasons of Nailed It! except for one key difference. This time around, all the challenges will be a holiday-themed. Last season, Nailed It! gave us a taste of that with one holiday baking episode — remember the one with the ginger bread houses and the revelation that French people dip their shortbread cookies in red wine? — but in this special, there will be even more of those festive tests.

Dancing with the Judges.... JuniorAdam Rippon, Mandy Moore, Val Chmerkovskiy Named to the Panel
From TV Line

Dancing With the Stars has found its judges for this fall's Juniors edition — and they're no strangers to the ABC ballroom.

Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon, Emmy-winning choreographer Mandy Moore and longtime DWTS pro Val Chmerkovskiy will be sitting at the judges' dais this October. The announcement was made on Monday's Good Morning America broadcast.

Rippon, who won a bronze medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, is also the reigning DWTS champ after he and pro Jenna Johnson triumphed in last May's abbreviated all-athletes edition.

Moore, who famously choreographed the Oscar-winning 2016 film La La Land, has also produced dozens of routines for both DWTS and So You Think You Can Dance. She has multiple Emmy nominations under her belt and, in 2017, snagged the Outstanding Choreography trophy for a pair of DWTS Season 23 numbers.

Chmerkovskiy, of course, has served as a professional partner on 13 seasons of DWTS. He has won the Mirrorball trophy twice thus far: in Season 20 with actress Rumer Willis, and in Season 23 with Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez.

Contestants for Dancing With the Stars: Juniors have yet to be announced. The series debuts with a two-hour premiere on Sunday, Oct. 7, at 8/7c on ABC.

New details have emerged about CBS Corporation president Leslie Moonves' alleged sexual misconduct, after six women spoke out against him in a New Yorker expose published Friday.

Reported by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ronan Farrow, the investigation details incidents of unwanted kissing and touching by Moonves, as well as intimidation, across multiple decades. An excerpt from the article reads:

"Six women who had professional dealings with him told me that, between the nineteen-eighties and the late aughts, Moonves sexually harassed them. Four described forcible touching or kissing during business meetings, in what they said appeared to be a practiced routine. Two told me that Moonves physically intimidated them or threatened to derail their careers. All said that he became cold or hostile after they rejected his advances, and that they believed their careers suffered as a result."

Four women — Illeana Douglas, Janet Jones, Christine Peters and Dinah Kirgo — spoke on the record with Farrow. Moonves responded to their allegations with the following statement, in which he admits he "may have made some women uncomfortable" throughout his career, but "never misused [his] position" to stop any woman's career in its tracks:

"Throughout my time at CBS, we have promoted a culture of respect and opportunity for all employees, and have consistently found success elevating women to top executive positions across our company. I recognize that there were times decades ago when I may have made some women uncomfortable by making advances. Those were mistakes, and I regret them immensely. But I always understood and respected — and abided by the principle — that 'no' means 'no,' and I have never misused my position to harm or hinder anyone's career. This is a time when we all are appropriately focused on how we help improve our society, and we at CBS are committed to being part of the solution."

Big Brother host/The Talk panelist Julie Chen, who has been married to Moonves since 2004, issued a statement of her own on Friday, saying, "Leslie is a good man and a loving father, devoted husband and inspiring corporate leader… I fully support my husband and stand behind him and his statement."

Farrow's investigation into CBS and Moonves had been rumored for several months. Ahead of the article's publication, it was reported Friday morning that the expose would include allegations against Moonves, which prompted the Independent Directors of CBS' Board to issue the following statement:

All allegations of personal misconduct are to be taken seriously. The Independent Directors of CBS have committed to investigating claims that violate the Company's clear policies in that regard. Upon the conclusion of that investigation, which involved recently reported allegations that go back several decades, the Board will promptly review the findings and take appropriate action.

Moonves, who also serves as CBS Corporation's CEO and Chairman of the Board, is not the first CBS staple to be accused of sexual harassment. In November 2017, journalist Charlie Rose was accused by multiple women of making inappropriate phone calls, exposing himself and groping them without their consent over a 20-year period. Both CBS and PBS quickly severed ties with him.

FOX (3.109 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T1) then shared in the demo honors with a new "The Four: Battle for Stardom" (2.867 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T4) and a second "The Four: Battle for Stardom" (3.352 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #2).

"Trivial Pursuit" was America's game in the 80s. But, when they revived it in the late 20-aughts, it TRULY became "America's game" since all of America could play and WIN. Chris Wolvie gets off his hiat-ass and returns with a "Games Gone By..." hosted by the middle of the Brady boys, "Trivial Pursuit: America Plays"!

This next generation of AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR marks the first time some of the show's biggest fans can become part of this five-time Emmy nominated worldwide phenomenon. AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR Junior will premiere on October 13 at 7:00pm.

American Ninja Warrior Junior celebrates real kids taking on the iconic course with dedication and skill. Nearly 200 boy and girl Junior Ninjas from across the U.S. will face off on the same Head to Head courses in three age brackets: 9 & 10, 11 & 12, and 13 & 14 year olds. The courses will feature iconic Ninja Warrior obstacles, including Sonic Swing, Tic Toc, Spin Cycle, and the Warped Wall. Each age bracket will be mentored by All Star Ninja Mentors - Kevin Bull, Drew Drechsel, Natalie Duran, Meagan Martin, Najee Richardson, and Barclay Stockett. Three final winners (one per age bracket) will be crowned the first ever AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR Junior Champions.

"At Universal Kids, we see kids as they see themselves and want to share their stories," said Deirdre Brennan, General Manager Universal Kids. "American Ninja Warrior Junior celebrates a kid-centric movement that everyone can be a part of and enjoy together. It will encourage and inspire all kids to push their limits and not shy away from challenges."

"Over the last number of years, we have received an outpouring of letters and videos asking when is there going to be a Ninja show for kids? Well, the time is now! People are going to be amazed at how talented and dedicated these young ninjas are," said Arthur Smith, CEO of A. Smith & Co. Productions and Executive Producer of the 'American Ninja Warrior' franchise. "They're remarkable, and to know that they've been inspired by our show is immensely gratifying."

Australian for "Genius"Susan Carland to Host "Child Genius"
From News.com.au

SUSAN Carland has landed her own TV show.

The academic, who is married to The Project's Waleed Aly, was yesterday announced as the host of an SBS quiz show called Child Genius which will air later in the year.

"Presided over by quizmaster, Dr Susan Carland, this brand new six-part series to find Australia's brightest child in a unique competition documentary format, follows the lives of some of Australia's brightest children and their families," an SBS statement said. "These gifted children all have very high IQs and showcase phenomenal cognitive abilities in maths, general knowledge, memory and language.

"Presented in association with Australian Mensa, the series features participants and their families from all over Australia, and provides unique insight into the joys — and challenges — of parenting a gifted child."

NetflixUltimate Beastmaster Returns August 31SEason 3 Titled "Survival of the Fittest"
From the Futon Critic

The stakes are raised in the third season as over 100 competitors from nine countries compete for more than just a title...

For each localized version in the U.S., Italy, France, Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, as well as new U.K., Australia and Germany territories, local celebrity hosts and popular athletes will provide commentary throughout the competition.

Syndies rallied as the 2018 FIFA World Cup receded as the global soccer tourney went into semi-final and final matches in the week ended July 15.

That said, some shows still were hurt by preemptions as a result of coverage of President Donald J. Trump's July 13 press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May.

Twentieth's fellow newcomer, Page Six TV, revealed its fifth straight season-low 0.6 and was unchanged at a 0.3 in the demo. Entertainment Studios' Funny You Should Ask climbed 25% to a 0.5 and remained at a 0.2 among women 25-54.

All of the game shows were up by single digits after they all declined in the prior round. Leader Family Feud inched up 2% to a Judge Judy-tying 6.2. CTD's Jeopardy! jumped 6% to a 5.6. CTD's Wheel of Fortune edged ahead 2% to a 5.4. Disney-ABC's Who Wants to be a Millionaire picked up 7% to a 1.6. .

Intermedia LabsHQ: Australian For QuizThird Version of App Quiz Launches
From Press Start

HQ Trivia (the extremely successful live game show) had its first local Australian game tonight with a $600 prize pool. Australia is only the third country in the world (outside of America) to get our own local version of the game and it'll be happening at 9pm AEST every week day.

It turns out that only a few questions were Australia related, including this absolute banger question about John Farnham (that a surprising amount of people didn't know the answer to). There were only about 8,000 people playing by the looks of things which means that there's probably likely to be less winners at the end (and probably the reason for the smaller prize pool).

Double the Wheels, Double the FunTwo Wheel Wheel of Fortune LAunches
From Intergame

Europe's first two-player Wheel of Fortune game with "mega-deluxe marquee" from Sega Amusements has gone live at the Fantasy Island arcade in Skegness, UK.

Said Sega's Justin Burke: "Wheel of Fortune has got off to a great start, with some operators quickly purchasing a second or third unit where they have multiple locations; it was only a matter of time before someone went for the big display of two games side by side with the mega marquee! The venue at Fantasy Island is the perfect spot for it."

The game is built by ICE and distributed by Sega Amusements International. It is a direct take-off of the famous TV quiz show but pays off in tickets. Burke concluded that "there are two marquee options for two-player Wheel of Fortune. Aside from this side-by-side Mega Marquee there is also the Spinning Marquee, one of which will be revealed very soon at another popular destination."

"Beat Shazam" Episode PulledDemi Lovato Had a Cameo Before Alleged Heroin Overdose
From TV Line

Tuesday's episode of Beat Shazam featuring a guest appearance by Demi Lovato has been pulled from Fox's schedule in the wake of the singer's hospitalization for an apparent drug overdose.

In a statement, the network said, "Tonight's previously scheduled episode of Beat Shazam featured a guest appearance by Demi Lovato. In light of recent reports, we have decided to replace the episode of Beat Shazam with another all-new episode. Our thoughts go out to Demi and her family."

Lovato's appearance was taped last December.

Lovato is awake and with her family after being hospitalized earlier Tuesday, according to a statement from the singer's representative. A source close to Lovato's family previously told CNN the singer's hospitalization was the result of an apparent drug overdose. "Demi is awake and with her family, who want to express thanks to everyone for the love, prayers and support," said the statement from Lovato's representative. "Some of the information being reported is incorrect and they respectfully ask for privacy and not speculation as her health and recovery is the most important thing right now." .

She was born on June 6, 1928 in Washington, D.C. Her father was Heinz Roemheld, a composer, pianist and conductor who in 1942 won an Oscar for scoring Yankee Doodle Dandy. Heinz met his future wife and Ann's mother, Emeline Defnet, at a theatre in Milwaukee where Heinz was conducting while Emeline, on a dare, entered and won the beauty pageant.

In 1946 Ann graduated from North Hollywood High School. She attended USC, where she majored in art. In 1949, she married fellow USC graduate, John Burns Macomber. They were divorced in 1953.

Runway modeling was one of Ann's first jobs. She was discovered and hired by designer DeDe Johnson, who is credited with several fashion firsts including pedal pushers and clam diggers. Ann quickly became one of DeDe's favorite models showcasing the latest styles at Robinson's famous 'Tea Room.'

Ann appeared in several feature films in mostly bit parts and various television commercials earning her SEG/SAG card, while continuing her steady work as a model.

Her life changed in October of 1954 when she met game show icon Bill Cullen at her sister's home. Bill was working with Mary Lou's husband, television host Jack Narz. Ann and Bill were married in New York on December 24th, 1955. Ann appeared on several of Bill's top-rated game shows over the years. She occasionally surprised her husband by showing up as a model on episodes of Bill's "Price Is Right" in the mid-fifties. She also appeared with Bill on many husband and wife game shows such as "Tattletales," "He Said, She Said," along with other shows including "Person to Person" with CBS newscaster, Edward R. Morrow.

Ann and Bill shared 23 wonderful years in New York City, where they had a beautiful home overlooking Central Park. Some of her fondest memories were of planning trips and traveling with Bill and friends on their 40 foot cabin cruiser. They sailed extensively up and down the Eastern Seaboard calling at ports like Nantucket, Fishers Island and Martha's Vineyard. A favorite voyage of Ann's took them up the Hudson River through the locks to St. Jean Quebec. As First Mate her many responsibilities included chef, bartender, fender and mooring line handler, you name it she did it and enjoyed every minute.

In 1978, Ann and Bill moved from their beloved Manhattan to sunny Southern California. Their first home was in Casiano Estates at the top of Sepulveda Pass. Ann and Bill lived a magical life in California, where Bill continued to host numerous network and syndicated game shows until his death in 1990.

In 1998, Ann moved to Orange County, California bringing her closer to her sister and other family. In 2004, Ann moved to her home in Corona Del Mar, overlooking Balboa Island with a wonderful view of the ocean and Catalina. Highlights of these years would include Ann's planning and hosting of the monthly poker game with a group of old pals which included her dear friend and notorious card shark actress Betty White.

Ann's interest in art, nurtured in college, grew into a lifelong passion. She furthered her studies at the Chouinard Art Institute in California then later at the Art Students League in New York. This led to a lifetime of hours in the studio where Ann produced hundreds of paintings, drawings and water colors primarily of landscapes and flowers; although she was also quite proud of her charcoal sketches stored in her 'drawer-full of naked people.' Her passion also steered her to become a collector of fine art and sculptures. Ann's home was filled with paintings with an emphasis on the 'California Regionalist Artist.'

Her collection will be donated to the Bowers Museum which will allow everyone to enjoy these impressive pieces. Ann is also bestowing a pair of Tom Van Sant bronze owl sculptures to Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach which will join the artist's current Dolphin and Sandpiper wall sculptures. Vern Monroe, a long time friend and traveling companion predceased Ann.

She is survived by her sister, Mary Lou Narz; nephew, John Narz; niece, Karen Ferretti and husband Randy; nephew, David Narz and wife Debbie; along with several grand and great-grand nephews and nieces. There will be a private celebration of life.

NBC/EndemolShine North America"Deal"-cember!Catch CNBC's Reboot December 5!
From the Futon Critic

From the set of CNBC's all-new 'Deal or No Deal' at Universal Orlando Resort, host and Executive Producer Howie Mandel today took to social media to announce the highly anticipated game show will join the network's primetime lineup beginning Wednesday, December 5th. The announcement comes as production commences on 30 one-hour episodes that will tape in front of a live studio audience this summer.

Premiering almost 10 years after the hit show was last in production, the new series will continue to offer up a high-pressure, high-stakes game of risk and reward, in which contestants face a series of potentially life-altering decisions. With 26 sealed briefcases full of varying amounts of cash - ranging from a penny to $1 million - contestants have to decide whether to accept an offer of cash from the mysterious entity known only as "the Banker," in exchange for what might be contained in the contestant's chosen briefcase.

By day, CNBC is the recognized world leader in business news. By night, CNBC is an entertainment network with a programming slate that is an extension of CNBC's distinct brand. Primetime series include "The Profit," "Shark Tank," "Jay Leno's Garage," "Billion Dollar Buyer," "The Deed," "American Greed," "Deadly Rich," and "Secret Lives of the Super Rich," among others.

The new "Deal or No Deal" is produced by Truly Original, a subsidiary of Endemol Shine North America, with Steven Weinstock, Glenda Hersh and Scott St. John as executive producers. Jim Ackerman and Christian Barcellos are the executive producers for CNBC.

WEEKEND: Big Brother? Bigger Game Shows.ABC Beats CBS on the Demo
From Deadline

ABC's Fun & Games won Sunday for an eighth consecutive week in the demo, and third in total viewers. Related 'Dateline' & '20/20' Lead Ratings On Newsmag Friday, CBS Tops Viewers Network's 8 PM Celebrity Family Feud (1.1 demo rating, 5.99 million viewers) was Sunday's most watched entertainment program for a 6th consecutive first-run at bat.

But CBS's 7 PM 60 Minutes repeat (0.7, 7.48M) was the night's most watched program, logging 1.49M more viewers than ABC's game show original in early data. The newsmag tied for top spot in the demo in its 7 PM hour, with ABC's America's Funniest Home Videos repeat (0.7, 4.31M). CBS's Big Brother (1.4, 5.44M) topped the night in the key demo, beating closest competitor Celeb Family Feud by 27%.

At 9pm, ABC's The $100,000 Pyramid (0.9, 5.08M) won its hour for the 2nd week in a row with both metrics. Network's To Tell the Truth (0.8, 3.89M) did same at 10 PM, besting CBS's NCIS: Los Angeles rerun (0.3, 2.59M) as well as NBC's original episode of Shade of Blue (0.5, 3.11M) that followed NBC's best performer on the night: an 8-10 PM America's Got Talent encore (0.6, 4.11M) which climbed by 200K viewers compared to previous week's Sunday repeat.

Network Ten has used its multi-channels Eleven and One to give its new nightly game show Pointless as much exposure as possible, screening the program across all its channels at 6pm last night.

A similar strategy was employed for Family Feud throughout its run, with the Grant Denyer fronted show bringing in 690,000 metro viewers across the three channels for its first episode four years ago.

Ten's replacement offering, Pointless, had 493,000 using the same approach last night. The number, however, was significantly up on Family Feud's conclusion, which wrapped up on Sunday night with a metro audience of just 213,000 metro viewers.

Beverley McGarvey, chief content officer for Ten, said the network was pleased with the performance of Pointless.

"We know it is early days, but we are very happy with last night's Pointless ratings and are delighted audiences have welcomed the show into our line-up," she said. "We look forward to building the show further in the coming weeks and months and appreciate the great job that Mark and Andrew are doing."

Ten, however, did have the most-watched entertainment program of the night, with Masterchef (918,000, up from last week's 815,000) significantly ahead of Australian Ninja Warrior on Nine (888,000, up from last week's 838,000).

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